


Its been a long long time

by Willow200719



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: 1940's, Billy Hargrove Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, Billy is like super hot and Steves in love., Bottom Steve Harrington, Harringrove, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Maxine joins the airforce, Mechanic Billy Hargrove, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Steve Harrington is a Sweetheart, Steve Harrington is a pilot, Steve Harrington is a sucker for slow dancing, Steve won't cut his hair even though hes in the air force and its required, Top Billy Hargrove, dustin Henderson is a pilot in training, takes place in the forties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:55:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26914741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willow200719/pseuds/Willow200719
Summary: Its the 1940's and Billy Hargrove works on an airforce base, fixing planes for shitty pay, but then fighter pilot Steve Harrington comes along, gorgeous hair, pretty face, and he has a rainbow painted on the side of his plane."I didn't think they let Pretty boy's like you in the war."Steve rolls his eyes, "I didn't think they'd let such an idiot fix my plane, your getting grease all over the side of my baby'.""You must love that plane as much as you love that hair of yours." The blonde says pointing his wrench at Steve, who's smirking, "Possibly."
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley/Heather Holloway
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All of his pilot buddies call him Stevie, but I'm guessing his real names Steve. He has a rainbow painted on the side of his plane. It's hard to miss. He told me that most boys were fools, and he knew from experiences." A guy with a rainbow on his plane? Most guys had naked ladies painted on their planes. This new kid sounded interesting. New pilots down here meant something was coming, a war, or an attack or something , whatever it wasn't it couldn't be good, and Billy felt a bundle of nerves twist in his stomach, He didn't want Max fighting out there, she's seventeen still for fucks sake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, I did some research, and a lot of chapters will have slang that was used in the 40's, and my research about Pilots, and The Air force and Navy may not be 100 accurate, same with the dates and everything. But I tried my best so here is my first chapter, and many more to come after. Enjoy!

_**October, 1941, Hawaii**_

Billy wipes his hands on his grease rag, looking up at his sister Maxine, who was chopping off the long red locks of her hair, a look on her face Billy couldn't decipher. It looked like a mix of anger and proudness, and odd combination.

"I don't get why your doing this again Maxine." 

She huffs, and drops the pair of rusty scissors on a metal tray that had an assortment of wrenches and screwdrivers placed lazily on it, and Billy mutters out a , "Hey careful there."

"I told you! All of them treat me like I'm a dishwasher, and and I'm fucking sick of all those cockeyed fools of a man telling me I ain't able to be a pilot." She spits out, running a hand through her pixie, admiring how the sloppy cut looked in a pocket mirror.

Billy's jaw tightens and he glances out of the airplane hanger at a bunch of boys who were leaning against of a crate of sandbags which were used for holding down ammo tents. The boys were laughing, throwing around a glass cherry cola bottle. Ever since his seventeen year old sister joined the air force training program, her dreams of being a pilot faded, she didn't have that excitement in her eyes anymore when she talked about her victories in training, like completing a barrel roll, or nose dive with her plane. Billy had to admit, when Max first brought up that she signed up for pilot training, and she would train with the other boys, and actually fly a plane, and eventually shoot a gun, he was well skeptical about the whole thing. It wasn't usual that girls trained on the air force base, or wanted anything to do with that. But it's what Max had wanted. and, he was going to be supportive of her. He had taken the parental figure in Max's life. When Neil died of a heart attack, and Susan had went to live with her dying mother, leaving Max in Billy's care. But Billy needed money, so he could provide for them, and fixing airplanes and submarines on a base where food and shelter was provided seemed like a smart move. Work for the essentials, and the redhead seemed to like it around here. When she was younger she ran around with a group of boys, playing pretend, and wading in the shore not too far from the base. But now, she was older, and well was turning into an adult too. 

"Their just fools Maxine your the best flyer out of those ragtag group of lackey boys, whatever they say is bullshit." Max stares at him for a second, and laughs.

"That's what this Pilot who was helping us train said." Billy wipes of his wrench with his mucked up shirt. "I thought the older man taught you, a retired pilot, Madix, or Monty or something." Max grabs a stool and takes a sip of Billy's sweet soda, "No, Some new guy came in, a bunch of new pilots came in from some base in Indiana. You wouldn't know since your stuck in this dingy hanger all day fixing these planes." Billy swipes the bottle back from her with a smirk, "That's my job max. So who's the new guy then?"

"All of his pilot buddies call him Stevie, but I'm guessing his real names Steve. He has a rainbow painted on the side of his plane. It's hard to miss. He told me that most boys were fools, and he knew from experiences." A guy with a rainbow on his plane? Most guys had naked ladies painted on their planes. This new kid sounded intresting. New pilots down here meant something was coming, a war, or an attack or something , whatever it wasn't it couldn't be good, and he felt a bundle of nerves twist in his stomach, He didn't want Max fighting out there, she's seventeen still for fucks sake .

"Sounds like a weirdo." Max punches his shoulder with a scoff, "Your just mean, I gotta go, I made a new friend, her names Jane and she's practicing medical care on me. She's a nurse in training." "Finally your getting some friends your gender, not those other weirdos!" Billy calls out, and Max flips him off stealing a pack of cigarettes from his tool table. "Smoking's bad for you bills." She says smirking, and tucks them into the pocket of her green overalls, leaving Billy to huff in annoyance, taking his backup pack out of his jacket pocket, putting one in his mouth and flipping his zippo lighter open, the flame flickering until the cigarette lights.

Max walks into the medical bay area, seeing women her age, some younger some older, flounce around in mint colored skirts and matching shirts, little hats with a red cross on them, their long hair perfectly curled, and lips cherry red, complete opposite of the redhead who had oil and dirt smudged on her trousers. "Hey Max over here!" Jane was smiling at her, white teeth of display, her shorter hair tucked behind her ears, a pair of shiny pearl earrings on display.

Max can feel her heart thump, and presses the feeling back down into her gut,

"You cut your hair!" Jane explains, touching it, while Max sits on a stool beside a small table.

"Oh uhm yeah, it's easier to take care of, doesn't get in your face when your flying."

Jane smiles, and picks up an antibiotic cream, reading the tag on it, "Well I quite like it, it's very swell Maxine."

The redhead blushes, and nods, "Thank you. Say, you gonna 'fix me up" Dr.hopper?" She jokes, looking up at the brunette. 

Jane giggles, "Right away Mrs. Mayfield."

Dustin Henderson kicks the empty Pepsi bottle across the dusty empty field,

"You guys are all slackers! You skipped pilot training, again! At least I gotta see Max!" Mike scoffs, rolling up the sleeves of his white button up throwing another bottle,

"Like you have a chance with her, I heard she's a dyke."

Will Byers, who was sitting on a crate chews on his bottom lip, "Dyke?" "It means your a flamin' homo, A faggot." Lukas adds in, chewing a toothpick, staring at his short friend who looked uneasy, face pale, hands quivery.

"Am I a faggot?" Mike wraps his arm around the boys shoulder squeezing it, "Course not buddy, you just haven't met the right swell doll." Will nods slowly, and looks over at the inky haired boy, "Right right, yeah I'm not gay."

"We better get back, their serving burgers for dinner, and Steve said he'd save me a seat at his table with all the other pilots!" Dustin says, stopping the other's chatter. "Yeah yeah! Leave the Losers for some fancy pilot with nice hair, we get it!" Mike gimmicks, nudging his elbow into his friend's side, earning a slug to the back of his head in return. The cafeteria was filled with Sailors, and Pilots, and Nurses, and cooks, and mechanics, and anyone with a family or a job on the base was crowded on the tables, chattering while one of the Major Generals was playing a Frank Sinatra song on the guitar.


	2. Queer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy glances down at the woman's name tag, it read Martha. He looks back up at her, and her red lipstick was smudged, and her eyelashes clumpy, her perfume strong, and she smelt like a grandma, "Ain't you a sweet thing." He says winking at her and grabbing the tray from her hands, and turning around, letting out an annoyed breath. Girls weren't his type , not that anyone knew that, he'd probably lose his job if someone knew about his homosexual tendencies. If they knew about how he'd prefer a nice ass on a guy, and how he thought guys with long hair, were hot as hell. He would probably be jumped. 

Billy blows smoke out into the air before stomping his cigarette into the gravel of his airplane hanger. The sun was setting, and the cafeteria's work ladies always saved him a meal, it wasn't hard no, not at all, just throw them a wink and a smile, and they'll swoon. _"Hey dolls."_ The blonde greets flirtatiously, the lady behind the counter blushing, and tucking her curls behind her ears, "Oh hey billy, we saved a plate just for _you._ " Billy glances down at the woman's name tag, it read Martha. He looks back up at her, and her red lipstick was smudged, and her eyelashes clumpy, her perfume strong, and she smelt like a grandma, "Ain't you a sweet thing." He says winking at her and grabbing the tray from her hands, and turning around, letting out an annoyed breath. Girls weren't his type , not that anyone knew that, he'd probably lose his job if someone knew about his homosexual tendencies. If they knew about how he'd prefer a nice ass on a guy, and how he thought guys with long hair, were hot as hell. He would probably be jumped. 

Because, being with the same sex isn't normal, it apparently makes you a freak, or outcast, a _faggot, a "flamin fag." or a punk, which was just a twink._

So that's why Billy ignored the heat rising on his face, when he locked eyes with the prettiest boy he had ever seen. He was sitting with his buddies, and some other young kid was practically latched to him at the hip. He was laughing and smiling at something someone said. He had big brown eyes, and pale skin, with moles trailing the skin of his neck. He had long brown hair, that was styled, and looked soft, he definitely stood out from the rest of the group he was sitting with. He had on a skin tight t-shirt, and a brown bomber jacket, he must be a pilot, most likely one of the new transfers from Indiana like Max said, because Billy had never seen this gorgeous being before. 

"Hey Lughead, Hurry it up!" Billy's trail of vision turns from the mystery man to Max, who was sitting with who looked like her new friend Jane. 

"calm down cold fish." 

"Me, a cold fish? Your the boring fool." Max says to her brother as he takes a seat at the girls's table.   
Jane watches the siblings squabble in amusement, "I wish I had a sibling." 

"Oh no, trust me you do not, Billy' always complaining about all these chics hitting on on him'." Billy elbows Max's side, while Jane's eyes widen, "You don't fancy woman? I've never met one like you before, I mean I've heard about it though." She says in a whispered tone, and Billy's face flushes red, "You got the wrong idea girl, I ain't a fag." Max hits the back of billy's head, "Watch your mouth fool." She scolds, her blue eyes boring into Billy's blue-ish grey ones. "Sorry Maxine." He mutters, and unwraps the sandwich that had been secured in tinfoil. "Damn straight you are. Now Jane, what were we talking about before he came?" Jane smiles, "I don't remember now, come to think of it."

Steve Harrington winces as he reaches to steal a fry from his friend's place. He had been stabbed in the waist a few weeks ago.

He had caught one of the other pilots stealing weaponized personal that wasn't his, Steve had threatned to tell on him, resulting in him getting stabbed. It was healing nicely but still held a great deal of pain. The new base was okay, the people were assholes, and their was a lot of homophobic comments already shot towards his way, but it didn't phase him much anymore. He was sort of openly out as queer, and most people didn't care, like the squadron he flew with. More like a don't ask, don't tell sort of deal. His old base commander had pulled him aside and said as long as his sexuality didn't cross with work, it wouldn't be a problem, but he wasn't sure about this new one.

"Have you shot down a plane before?" Steve glances to his side at the teenager with funny looking teeth and curly hair, who was beaming at him.

"I've gotten close to it kid." Steve lies. (He had shot down a couple planes, but never said so, because he believed it was like fessing up to murder.) 

"Wow, that must've been magnificent I reckon, being in war." Steve stared at the boy, who's name was Dustin or Duke, or something. He was just a kid, liked the idea of action, and thought of it as fun, but it was anything but fun. flying out there, someone right behind you, who could kill you any second, not knowing if you'll land back on the ground, even if your just flying for sport, or test flying. it's closing your eyes, and hearings the staticky screams and yells from the intercom while they crash into a marsh, their plane engine exploded into clouds of smoke and fire, and you can't go back for them, or you'll get yourseld killed.

"You bet." Steve breathes out, and eats another fry, listening to his friends talk about some pin up poster one of their bunkmates had stole.

"You wanna go on a sunset run?" A friend asks. A sunset run was a quick flight during dusk, and they stuck together, just a cool down ride basically. Steve nods, running his hand through his hair making sure its in place, The brunette looks at Dustin. "You ever rode passenger before?" Flying was somewhat relaxing, when it wasn't terrifying. "This is so cool!" Dustin exclaims, looking out the window, and Steve chuckles, pressing a button that would help with the drag of the plane. "I guess it is Pal. This your first time flying'?" "I flew once with my dad before he died, it was his dream to fly, so maybe if I learn how to become a pilot, I would be flying for him."

Steve's parents were never around, always attending gala's and parties, in fact Steve's twelfth birthday present was the gift of being able to stay home alone for months without a babysitter, or anyone to look after him. He hated it, so he joined the air force, he left a note on the counter, and just left. So if flying meant this much to this Dustin kid, he would help him achieve whatever he wanted, because even though steve's childhood was filled with neglect, Dustin's didn't have to be.  
"That's great bud, We'll have to do this more often then, it ain't hurting anyone."  
Dustin smiles, "Your a real chump Steve." 

"Glad you think so pal." Steve says and glances back at dustin who was staring at the mountains, and ocean below them.

Billy sat down on the balcony of the shack where his bunk was, something was coming, he could feel it in his bones. The radio only gave out bad news these days, and it wouldn't be long until this base was caught into the midst of it. He watches kids play by the shore, picking up shells and collecting sand as the sunsets, he takes a sip of beer, and tosses the bottle aside before walking inside. Robin braided Steve's hair, tugging at it, "Robin as much as I love being your personally barbie, your not getting much better cookie." Steve says looking up at Robin, who was rocking a super super short pixie, and her blue eyes pierced down at him, "Yeah Yeah Stevie, I'm just bored, and I don't have a real babe to practice braiding with, there isn't an dykes around here, expect that redhead who you train. She's totally a fag, but she's like a youngin'." "your just doll dizzy rob." "Says the one who is Boy crazy, were both hopeless queers, and this era hate's real dames like us. Were fags, woop-de-doo, what's the deal with it?" She says finishing the braid in Steve's hair. Robin has been Steve's bestfriend since forever, both being gay, in an society that is against it made them form a bond that was hard to break. They both shared a bunker, and most of their nights were spent complaining to each other about being single, and touch starved.


End file.
